A Second Chance
by Spot Conlon
Summary: Pope has a daughter? What? He did. But she died, right in fromt of him. Then Pope turned in to a cold heartless convict. What happens when the Berserkers meat up with Alicia Wood, this spunky 15 year old girl who remind Pope of his little girl. Will Pope get a second chance at being a dad? What happens when the Berserkers realize Pope has a solft side


Chapter One: A New Member of the Team

Join or Die. Those seemed to be my choices when I was captured by the second mass. Most of my team left when we were captured. Just ran away like scared little girls. Maggie and I were the only two to stay. I had no choice, Maggie chose to stay here and earn her citizenship by working with the second mass as a fighter. At first I was being held a prisoner of war, then they brought me my first meal. Oh my god it was nasty. I actually thought they were trying to poison me. Way to much salt. After I explained how to properly make chicken and rice (which by the way is not that complicated, it's one of the first things they teach you in culinary arts school), I landed to job as a chef for the second mass. Then when the second mass decided to attack the big ass alien building thing I got to make the bomb. But the second mass isn't my permanent home. It is kinda like that one friend you go to when you need something. That is what the second mass is to me. I come back to them when I need food, rest or ammo.

That is how I ended up here. I was riding through the state of Massachusetts, or what used to be Massachusetts, in some small little town in the middle of nowhere hunting coodies, or as the second mass says, skitters. Weaver and Mason jr to the third power were driving me so insane that I left. Technically I was on a 'scout' but whats the point of having a partner if you can't make them do everything while I go out and hunt?

"Pope?! Pope wait up!" yelled Tector. Ugh what did he want now?

"What?"

"We found some food now let's head back and get the trucks. We arnt even supposed to be out here,"

"Why? Let's have a little fun. Go shoot some aliens" Go piss of Weaver. That was my new life goal, find as many possible ways to make Weaver mad. It was so fun and so easy. It was my new form of entertainment. Weaver was so by the books; he doesn't know how to have fun. No one in the second mass does. So it's my job to make sure they have a little fun. I even started recruiting my own little group to help me. Right now I had Boon, Crazy Lee and Lyle. I was working on getting Tector. I almost had him.

"Why? Because Weaver said. That's why" Tector said. He was new to the second mass and big on following orders. He tried to act like a good old country boy. But he was way too good when working with a gun, too calm. He shoots a sniper rifle its no big deal. He is hiding something and I want to know what it is. I want him as a Berserker.

"So have you given it any thought?"

"What? Joining your group?"

"Yeah. The Berserkers"

"Why should I?"

"We have cold bear" I tried.

He smiled "Nice try but no."

"You will come to your senses" I took off on my Harley. I was heading out to do some more hunting.

"Um Pope? The second mass is that way"

"I am aware" I stated simply

"Where-"

"I am going hunting." Duh. "Are you coming or not?" I stopped and turned around and looked at him.

"Ah what the hell. Let's go kill some skitters." I smiled. Give me a couple more days and he will be a Berserker. Just wait.

"That's what I'm talking about. Those coodies won't know what it them!"

"Hell no they won't!" He yelled and we head of. Neither of us said much for a while. I was busy trying to find a way how to get him to become a Berserker. If only he saw how much of a dictator the captain actually is "So Pope. Do you guys actually have cold beer?"

"Do I look like I would lie to you?" He didn't say anything. "Wait. Don't answer that. Yeah we do have cold beer. But you only get it if you're a Berserker. Why? Are you reconsidering my offer?"

"Pope. I want to be a Berserker." I smiled. What sane man wouldn't want some cold beer? Especially in this world.

"I knew you would. Welcome to the team. Let me just ask. What changed your mind?"

"Well some beer really sounds nice right about now and I really am tired of taking orders from Weaver."

"If you think he is bad, you should meet the professor. The man willing walked on to an alien spaceship. Psycho man. Really annoying too."

"Wow. No wonder you hate the second mass so much." You have no idea.

"Yeah, the professor and I go way back. Now one final question. Where do you find yourself in five years?"

He said one thing "Alive"

"Welcome to the team" We kept on riding. We rode for about another hour and were about to turn back when we saw a group of coodies all circling around something, but I couldn't tell what. They were going to attack.

"HELP! GET AWAY FROM ME STUPID ALIEN! HELP!" Then I saw a girl, about 14 or 15 standing there. Then all of the sudden I wasn't in here, I was in Florida, at the airport, watching another little girl with thick curly black hair.

~FLASHBACK~

I stood there waiting for my kids to get of the plane. I hadn't seen them since the divorce over a year ago.

"DAD!" I looked up to see my little boy running up to me. He ambushed me in a hug. I smiled.

"Hey Johnny. Happy late birthday little man" I handed him a present. He turned 6 last month.

"ITS AWESOME DAD!" I got him an Iron Man thing I found at the store. Every time I talked to him on the phone he told me how much he liked Iron Man.

"Glad you like it." I looked up at my daughter, who had just walked up. She was texting, like usual. "Hey Ally, how are you"

"Fine." She didn't even look up from her phone.

"She is busy texting her boyfriend." Johnny laughed.

"Shut up Johnny."

"Hey both of you. No fighting. I haven't seen you two a year and I don't want you two fighting all week"

"Okay dad!" Johnny was so eager to please me. I think he missed having a man in the house. It also could be that he is too young to remember much of what happened.

"Whatever." Ally on the other hand, remembered everything. She turned 15 a couple months ago. She remembered the police at our house, my court hearing. Every little bit of it. She was there the day the divorce became official, she always had her mother's side. Ally hated me for doing what I did. And no matter what it took I was going to change that this week.

"Come on guys, let's go. I have a fun week all planned out". The three of us headed out to the parking lot where I had my new car waiting. As I was loading up the car with their luggage I heard Ally scream, then a gun shoot. I turned around just in time to see the man running away and Ally's body fall to the ground, lifeless. Suddenly time froze. All I could see was Ally's body and all I could here was Johnny crying as he realized what had just happened, but not wanting to accept it. At some point someone called the police and they took Ally to the hospital and I got in the car with Johnny and drove to the hospital. I no all that happened, people have told me. But I don't remember. All I remember is staring at her thinking about how I never got a chance to prove myself to her. And how I never would.

~END FLASHBACK~

Alicia's POV

I was walking through the fore**s**t by my house; looking for something, anything todo, anywhere to go. The aliens attacked months ago, I lost track of how long exactly it had been. But I needed to go somewhere and find people. I was going to go insane if I didn't. I hadn't talked to any people since the attack. I had packed up my stuff and grabbed my bike and left. I was determined to find people. I heard some movement in a little off the trail I was on so I hopped of my bike to go investigate. I walked past some bushes but I didn't see anything, so I kept going. Then I heard the static sound of the spider-aliens. I turned around and saw at least teen of them. They started to circle around me. Then one of the robot-aliens appeared. I was dead. I didn't have my gun with me; all I had was a stick of c4 and that wasn't going to kill them all, not without killing me. My best option was to run as fast as I had ever ran before. And not stop untill I reached my gun. I stood my ground and watched them very intently, looking for a loop hole in there formation, but there was none. Suddenly I heard gun shots. I looked to my right and saw a man standing there shooting. Then a second man started shooting. I took cover behind a bush

Pope's POV

"We need to help her." I said. Without thinking I grabbed my gun and started shooting.

"Pope! POPE COME BACK!" I didn't listen to Tector. I don't listen to anyone so why would I start now? Besides, this little girl needs my help. I am going to help her, no matter what it takes. I won't let her die like I did my daughter. I closed my mind and started shooting. Seconds later I heard Tector firing his gun as well. It took us not very long to kill the skitters surrounding her. Next there was the mech to deal with. I felt my pockets, but I had no c4 on me.

"Hey Tector, got any c4?" I yelled. The mech was getting ready to shoot; just as it fired I dove behind a tree. "Because if you do, now would be the time to say so!"

"I got one stick" said a voice, but not Tector. I looked up at the dark curly haired girl. She pulled out a stick of c4 and tossed it to me from where she had taken cover behind a bush. I lit the stick and threw it at the mech.

"Tic tic" Tector said

"BOOM!" I said just as the mech exploded into a million little pieces.

Alicia's POV

I didn't really know what to think. I am about to die and these two men step forward and save my ass. I just sat there and watched, too aw struck to speak, or move, or do anything really.

"Hey Tector, you got any c4" yelled the man with long hair. "Because if you do, now would be the time to say so" There was no response. Either this Tector person didn't hear him or he doesn't have any. Neither one is very good for us.

"I've got one stick" I dint even realize I said it untill the man with the hippie hair looked at me. He was waiting for me to hand it to him. I pulled it out of my belt pocket and tossed it to him. He lit it and sent it flying.

"Tic tic" I heard Tector yell.

"BOOM!" the other guy finished, just as the robot-alien exploded. Once all they aliens where dead the stood up and walked over to me.

"Whats your name?" the one with the long hair asked.

"Alicia Wood" I stuttered.

"My name is Pope, this is Tector. Where is your parents' kid?"

"Dead." That's all I said, that's all I wanted to say.

"Oh. Okay. Where are you staying?"

"I was staying at my old house but I'm looking for a place to stay. You are the first people I have talked to since the attack"

"Well look no further because just got yourself a first class ticket to live and learn with the Berserkers. That's my group. It's me, Tector, Crazy Lee, Lyle and Boon. We kill aliens. We hunt them down and kill them."

"That's awesome!" I said. That does sound really cool. Hunting down aliens and killing them. I could shoot pretty well. My dad was an ex-marine and he taught me how to shoot when I was little, we used to go to shooting ranges all the time. I had a freaky obsession with guns and violence. I wanted to go into the military when I was older, but since I can't do that shooting aliens works for me. And now I don't have to wait untill I am eighteen.

"I like you already kid" Pope said and I smiled. "So do you have a bike or anything or what? Any clothes?"

"Yeah it's just down there. I'll be right back" I ran over to my bike and grabbed my duffel bags and threw them over my shoulder. I had two bags, one bag with my clothes and one bag with weapons and I had a backpack with food and some water. I hopped on my dirt bike and road over to where Pope and Tector where waiting.

"So can you shoot?" Pope asked.

"Decently," I said. That was such a load of bull. I could shoot great. I just wanted to see the shock on their faces when I took out a spider-alien with one shot.

"Okay well we will have to make you better." I'd like to see you try.

"Okay, sure".

"Do you have any fighting experience?"

"Yeah. I have killed a lot of aliens. And I am fast. I ran cross-country at school"

"How old are you?"

"15. Why so many questions?"

"I need to make sure my fighters are the best."

"_Your fighters_? Are you like the leader or something?"

"In a way" Tector laughed when Pope said that.

"Before the attack, where did you see yourself in five years?"

"The military"

"Where do you see yourself in five years now?"

"Not dead"

"Welcome to the team. You're a Berserker now. You will meet the rest of the group later" We started riding and we were on the road for about twenty minutes before we came across a camp. It was pretty big. A lot of people. There was one bigger tent. As we walked up, three people stepped out. First came a girl with blond hair and a boy with dark hair. He was in deep conversation with an older man who came out after. He was wearing a military uniform, he look very stressed.

"Maggie" Pope said and he nodded. "How's life in paradise?" He smirked.

"Not well, but it should make a skitter-killing degenerate like you happy." She shot back "Who is the little shrimp?" She motioned to me

"The little shrimp can here ya you know" I said. "And my name is Alicia Wood. Who are you?"

"Maggie. Can I give you a piece of advice?"

"Don't waste your breath" I smirked and she glared at me.

"Stay away from Pope"

"Nah I'm good"

"POPE! What are you doing?! I said you could not go out hunting! And who is this?" He looked at me.

"My mane is Alicia Wood"

"Captain, when have I ever been known to follow orders?" Pope said. The captain just ignored him.

"Hal and Maggie I want you to out on scouting. Those skitters are closing in fast. Get a group together. But first, take this one and find a tent for her." He looked at me "Can you fight?"

"I can, but I won't for you. I am a Berserker" Pope smiled.

"Captain, meet the newest member of my team."

"Fine. Now get out of the 2nd mass's camp. Go back to that hole in the wall place you call home"

Pope's POV

"Whats your name?"

"Alicia Wood" She stuttered, looking scared

"My name is Pope, this is Tector. Where is your parents' kid?"

"Dead."

"Oh. Okay. Where are you staying?"

"I was staying at my old house but I'm looking for a place to stay. You are the first people I have talked to since the attack"

"Well look no further because just got yourself a first class ticket to live and learn with the Berserkers. That's my group. It's me, Tector, Crazy Lee, Lyle and Boon. We kill aliens. We hunt them down and kill them."

"That's awesome!" Any kid who thinks shooting aliens is a kid I want on my team.

"I like you already kid. So do you have a bike or anything or what? Any clothes?"

"Yeah it's just down there. I'll be right back" She ran over to get her stuff.

"Pope. What are you doing?"

"I have to keep her safe."

"Why though?"

"Honestly, I don't know" She road over to us. She had a nice bike.

"So can you shoot?"

"Decently," Hey, at least she knows how to work a gun

"Okay well we will have to make you better."

"Okay, sure".

"Do you have any fighting experience?"

"Yeah. I have killed a lot of aliens. And I am fast. I ran cross-country at school" Just like Ali did

"How old are you?"

"15. Why so many questions?" She is the same age as my kid.

"I need to make sure my fighters are the best."

"_Your _fighters? Are you like the leader or something?"

"In a way" I wasn't exactly lying.

"Before the attack, where did you see yourself in five years?"

"The military" Wow. Didn't see that one coming

"Where do you see yourself in five years now?"

"Not dead" That's good

"Welcome to the team. You're a Berserker now. You will meet the rest of the group later" I said. This little girl reminds me of my daughter. I wanted to protect her and make sure nothing happened to her. Somehow, I felt that if I made sure she was safe, it would make things right, since I was a crappy father to my own kids

"Maggie, how's life in paradise?" I asked, glancing between her and Mason 2.0.

"Not well, but it should make a skitter-killing degenerate like you happy." She shot back "Who is the little shrimp?" She pointed at Alicia

"The little shrimp can here ya you know. And my name is Alicia Wood. Who are you?"

"Maggie. Can I give you a piece of advice?"

"Don't waste your breath"

"Stay away from Pope" Shut up Maggie

"Nah I'm good" This little girl is hilarious.

"POPE!"

"Yes?" I said

"What are you doing?! I said no you are not to go out hunting! And who is this?"

"My name is Alicia Wood"

"Captain, when have I ever been known to follow orders?" I asked, but he ignored me. What am I? Chopped liver?

"Hal and Maggie I want you to out on scouting. Those skitters are closing in fast. Get a group together. But first, take this one and find a tent for her." The captain looked at Alicia "Can you fight?" I was about answer, but she beat me to it

"I can, but I won't for you. I am a Berserker" I beamed. I like her. She is a total smart ass. It's great.

"Captain, meet the newest member of my team."

"Fine. Now get out of the 2nd mass's camp. Go back to that hole in the wall place you call home" I walked with pride back to our bikes so we could head over to the Berserker camp


End file.
